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LilyM

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Posts posted by LilyM

    Amplification for a Yamaha CP88 stage piano

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I spent an afternoon in my local music store a few months back demoing all the 12” powered speakers with a CP88.

     

    The Yamaha DZR12s which I was very interested in I eliminated immediately. It came down to EV EKX12 and QSC K2.2. The EVs were much smoother across the full range of the piano  but it seemed like the QSCs had a slightly tighter bottom end. I went with the EVs, I use them on stage and don’t have any issue with the bottom end like I thought I heard in the store. Not a big EV fan in any way but love these.

     

     I will say our bass player has the QSC KW122s and lets me use them now and and that is by far the best for me but much heavier and more expensive.

    Greatest Rock Keyboardist of our generation?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    On 2/27/2024 at 5:37 PM, TommyRude said:

    I am truly shocked you didn't highlight Leon's version of Jumpin Jack Flash!?!  We all did/still-do air guitar, that one's worthy of air piano 😁👍

    Well I did reference Leon’s show stealing performance at the Concert for Bangladesh, which of course was his iconic Jumping Jack Flash/Youngblood medley.

    • Love 1

    Greatest Rock Keyboardist of our generation?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I’m sorry but while there are so many wonderful rock keyboard players listed here, I am truly shocked there is only one mention of Leon Russell. Truly THE greatest. I wish I had time to list all of his achievements and in more detail, but quickly … his credits on literally hundreds of hit songs throughout the 60s, in every style and genre you could imagine. One of the first usages of synth on a rock record (1968, Asylum Choir… I only know The Monkees preceding it). Conceiving organizing arranging conducting and playing in Joe Cocker Mad Dogs and Englishmen, one of the greatest live rock ensembles of all time. Inspired and contributed to the development of the Linn Drum with Roger Linn who was his engineer and guitarist at the time. Literally stole the show at Concert for Bangladesh from a stage full of superstars. His songs covered by everyone from The Carpenters to George Benson, Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Jerry Garcia, Barbra Streisand, Donny Hathaway, Tedeschi Trucks, Aretha Franklin, Amy Winehouse, BB King, Herbie Hancock, Eric Clapton…. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Largest concert draw in US 1973. Basically wrote, performed and produced Watching the River Flow for Dylan.

    • Like 1

    Clav Sound

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I was hoping someone might be so kind as to give me some help getting this Clav sound,… starting at 10:40. I  have no experience with a real Clav and little with VSTs, but I have the Scarbee Clav, Ampl;itube 5, IK Multimedia Clavitube and Arturia Clavinet V.  I didn’t find any presets that’s seemed to work but possibly it is more to do with how to play the sound.

       

    Yamaha CP88/YC88 vs. the rest

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    4 hours ago, ElmerJFudd said:

    Yes it sounds quite good both recording the audio from CP88 to your Mac/PC and audio from AU/VST host back to the CP88.  Here are some facts from the manual…. 
     

    “USB Audio receiving/sending capability for the instrument is a maximum 2 channels (1 stereo channel) at a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz. The input signal from the USB [TO HOST] terminal is output via the OUTPUT [L]/[R] jacks (XLR type connector), the OUTPUT [L/ MONO]/[R] jacks and the [PHONES] jack.
    The input level can be adjusted from the [MENU] button → “General → “USB Audio Volume.”
    The audio signal output via the USB [TO HOST] terminal is identical to the audio signal output via the OUTPUT [L]/[R] jacks (XLR type connector), the OUTPUT [L/MONO]/[R] jacks, and the [PHONES] jack.
    NOTE
    The audio signal input via the INPUT [L/MONO]/[R] jacks is output only from the OUTPUT [L]/[R] jacks (XLR type connector), the OUTPUT [L/MONO]/[R] terminal, and the [PHONES] jack of this instrument, and is not sent via the USB [TO HOST] terminal.”

    Ok that’s great! Thanks for that info!!  The next question though is if when using the Yamaha USB interface is it good enough quality to get low  latency playing the VSTs

    Using iPhone/iPad in a Windows Set Up?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    The iConnect Audio2+ and 4+ will allow you to do it. .

    Thanks! That should defintely do what I need, but even used at around $99 is a bit more than I'd like to spend and the size a bit bigger than I'd like for my purposes. I'm wondering if just an Apple USB Camera Connector will do what I need? Does anyone use RTPMIDI? That would get me MIDI though not audio

    Using iPhone/iPad in a Windows Set Up?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I'm hoping to get some advice on how to connect an iPhone 7 to a Windows 10 laptop, running Gig Performer. Ideally I would like to be able to send MIDI to Soft Drummer on the iPhone and audio out of Soft Drummer to Gig Performer.

     

    I am aware of Studiomux which apparantly is supposed to do this well, but it is now broken with ios 14 and the Beta not yet playing well with Windows. And I suppose I should mention, some sort of expensive hardware interface probably not a solution for me.

     

    But I hope this is easily accomplished though I can't figure it out. Thanks!

    Drum Machine ..is this a thing?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Thanks Groove On!!! So just a regular data cable with appropriate connections. I will be sending CCs to the iPad from within GIg Performer, so Gig Performer needs to see the iPad as a MIDI device. I imagine there might be something I need to do for that to happen?

     

    And yes, you got me thinking... if there is just a lightning connection, how do I get audio as well as the MIDI connection? iPad would have to go to powered hub... and then is option for audio only a USB audio interface?

     

    Getting a little more complicated and expensive. I'm almost thinking to go with an older refurbished iPad with headphone jack, not only saving me money on iPad but not needing an audio interface. This is for live work and I think quality from the heaphobe jack will be good enough?

    Drum Machine ..is this a thing?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Wow thanks so much! Lumbeats and particularly Soft Drummer seem to be exactly what I was looking for. The main drawback for me is it's ios, but I'm seriously thinking of picking up a refurbed iPad just to be able to use it. And I am wondering what MIDI capabilites it has (if any, I have no idea how that works on an iPad)... but I would really want to be able to assign some of the paramaters (start/stop etc) to a pedal and controllers and or keys on my keyboards.

     

    Beat Buddy also seems like a very good option, but the Lumbeats just feels a bit more right on to me. I just wish it was regular Windows software with full MIDI implementation

    Drum Machine ..is this a thing?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I suggest there is little audience appeal to an act consisting of one or a few guys and a drum machine. YMMV. Sure there are musicians who do this, and just as surely there are people who will leave the room when such an act appears.

     

    Well, I have a pretty good audience...for just me, one guy. I'm a piano player basically and do some fun things with my synths to augment things now and then... emulating guitars etc. People seem to enjoy it and I don't see anyone walking out. My thought... after seeing a lot of people in this format using a loop pedal, which I don't want do for some reason, but wanting some kind of support on certain tunes... was to occasionally have a subtle drum backing. But again I don't want to program out an entire song. It's just not where I'm at with my time allocation and I perform in a very improvisatory manner.

     

    I can understand the drawbacks of a simple 4 bar pattern repeating endlessly and was hoping there was something that gave enough variation on its own or simple enough real time control to make it interesting enough to work for me.

     

    Thanks for all the other suggestions so far!!! I guess I should explain I am on Windows (will Garage Band work for me?) and also I do not work with an iPad. It is just a Windows laptop, for me, running Gig Performer and various VSTs.

    Drum Machine ..is this a thing?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I am intereted in using a drum machine, preferably software... for some light occasional backing on a solo gig However I am not the slightest bit interested in doing any programming whatsoever. I am thinking that possibly at this point the technolgy has reached a place where I can basically just pick out a groove and tempo and the drum machine can add some variation and randomization on its own that makes it at least a little interesting if far from perfect. Is this a thing?

     

    Alternatively, I could see maybe if the drum machine had some variations that I could assign to a foot switch to step through might work as well. Anyway any thoughts/suggestions on this sincerely appreciated.

    Best Virtual B3 ??

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    B-3X is a cpu problem for me as well. I don't have a great laptop, spec-wise, at all, 10 year old i5, 8 GB, but I run Diva in Divine mode no problem...B-3X is right on the edge for me 30-35% in Gig Performer for me also. But even weirder, when the UI is open, it is not playable at all, up at 70% and higher. Tech support replied they were aware of the issue and were working to resolve it, but it does not appear to have been fixed in this first update.

     

    Otherwise B-3X seems pretty decent, although seriously overpriced, especially once introductory price ends... and considering you can't use the Leslie separately

     

    I thought that both Blue 3 and VB3 I & II with IK Leslie were more interesting than B-3X... and even in combination way less cpu hit. There's no demo for B5 so I've never tried it but lots of people swear by it. And I'm sure lots of people will tell you one or the other is best, but my opinion is they're all pretty good, just different... in the same way any random sampling of various actual B3s is gonna be. They all have demos (except B5) so check them out, see what excites you to play.

     

    One thing I can say for sure, Arturia B-3 V2 is not in the same league as the ones above. If you have it as part of V-Collection, it will work ok, but to buy standalone would be silly when you have the above options. For instance in B-3 V2, whatever overdrive you dial in is just there, same amount no matter how soft or loud you're at with expression pedal or how many notes you are playing.

    audio interface for stage

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I would take a serious look at the RME Babyface Pro.

    I'm definitely aware that RME is pretty much the gold standard. However even the Babyface Pro is overkill for my particular needs. The price is pretty steep as well and while I don't mind paying for quality, it's not quite as easy to pay for a lot of features i don't need... which also creates a larger footprint in my live setup than desired.

    audio interface for stage

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    You are trading price, stability, performance, stage-space and ruggedness against each other in my view. .

     

    Yes I agree. But not sure why a more simple or more focused set of features has to be "cheap" or less well designed. Why can't a product like USB Pro or iRig Pro be an actual pro piece of gear with quality driver?

     

    audio interface for stage

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    The Peavey USB-P looks good and definitely gets good reviews..and from people playing soft synths live, which is what I need it to do. I am still confused however, as this is also plug and play and does not have its own driver. I have seem many references to the idea that a well written driver is of paramount importance to latency.

    audio interface for stage

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Thanks, I was wondering about the Radial USB Pro, as it does not have its own driver and is just plug and play. The Key Largo is again more than I need for my particular usage. IK technical support assure me the iRig I/O Pro will work great with the WASAPI driver.

    audio interface for stage

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I am looking for a new USB audio interface for my live keyboard set up.. However, I only need a stereo output, basically just a DAC. I don"t need any inputs and most definitely not any mic pres and don"t want to pay for that or have the unnecessary bulk to carry around. So I have been looking at IK iRig I/O, Apogee Jam+, as well as even possibly Audioquest Dragonfly. My main concern is latency and if these interfaces are up to the task. None of them have their own drivers and rely on WASAPI and or ASIO4ALL. Anyone have any experience with any of them...or suggestions?

    New B3 VST from IK

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    If anyone can provide or point me toward a quick step-by-step on doing that, I'd appreciate it.

    Go to

    Ihttps://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/index.php?R=INIT&FV=free-software-related-products&CV=Other%20Filter&PSEL=freesoftware

    and download free Custom Shop (if you have Amplitube or T Racks,you already have Custom Shop).

     

    Open Custom Shop, go to Amps and you will see a few Leslie options, choose one and Custom Shop will give you option to buy or demo.. Go to Cabinets and do the same.

     

    That's it. I don't believe Leslie comes up in the "Collections" option... so you only get a few Leslie amps/cabinets to try, not the full collection.

     

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